Study reveals women take 334% more sick leave for childcare than men

New data highlights a significant gender disparity in the reasons people take sick leave in the UK, with women taking 334 per cent more time off for childcare than men in 2023.

The Sick Leave Reasoning Report, conducted by Access People, a division of The Access Group, analysed absence data from over 1,775 small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. The report tracks emerging trends in the reasons behind sickness absence, providing insights into workforce dynamics.

In 2023, childcare as a dependent emerged as the leading cause for sick leave in the UK, with a staggering 183 per cent increase among parents and carers. This spike is likely linked to the shift back to more office-based roles after the pandemic, which limits the flexibility to care for dependents at home.

Breaking down the data by gender, the findings revealed a stark imbalance: women took 334 per cent more sick leave for childcare than men between 2022 and 2023. This disparity was evident in prior years but less pronounced, with women taking 10.34 per cent more sick leave for childcare than men in 2021 and 4.35 per cent more in 2022.

While both men and women experienced an increase in sick leave for childcare from 2022 to 2023, the rise was notably higher among women, with a 371 per cent increase compared to just 13 per cent for men. This gap underscores the disproportionate burden women often face in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities.